Vented spout assembly

ABSTRACT

In a vented spout assembly for threaded engagement onto a fluid container, a flexible spout is provided comprising a first tubular portion with a connected cap, at least one corrugated flexible section, and a second tubular portion with an end face. The cap has at an end surface a vent structure having a flexible tube section and a slit in a side wall of the tube section and extending longitudinally. The slit has first and second abutting end faces. The first tubular portion has at least one internal projection extending inwardly from a side wall of the first tubular portion and which is positioned to contact the end face of the second tubular portion when the second tubular portion is inserted through the cap into the first tubular portion to prevent a leading corrugation of the at least one corrugated flexible section from engaging any thread of the cap.

BACKGROUND

It is known to provide a vented spout assembly for screwing onto athreaded outlet of a fluid container. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No.8,727,187. A flexible spout is attached to a cap having threads. The capcan be screwed onto the threaded outlet of the container. A vent ismounted on the cap permitting air to enter the container when thecontainer is being emptied to facilitate the emptying by preventingdevelopment of a suction in an air pocket above a fluid within the fluidcontainer. More specifically, the vent on the spout cap is an airingress tube with a one-way valve at one end of the air ingress tubecomprising a check valve, such as a rubber duckbill valve having an airexit into the fluid only at the end of the tube. Such a small air exitlimits the air flow and thus retards flow of liquid from the container.The flexible spout connected to the cap can be folded into a storageposition for transport of the spout assembly by inserting a secondtubular portion of the flexible spout through the cap and into a firsttubular portion of the spout connected to the cap. Engagement of thesecond tubular portion of the spout in the first tubular portion occursby engaging at least a leading corrugation of a corrugation sectionconnected to the second tubular portion with one or more of the threadsof the cap. The contact pressure by the corrugation or corrugations onthe thread or threads can damage the threads, such as during storage orshipment. If the threads are damaged then when the cap is screwed ontothe container threaded outlet leakages may result.

SUMMARY

In a vented spout assembly for threaded engagement onto a fluidcontainer, a flexible spout is provided comprising a first tubularportion with a connected cap, at least one corrugated flexible section,and a second tubular portion with an end face. The cap has at an endsurface a vent structure having a flexible tube section and a slit in aside wall of the tube section and extending longitudinally. The slit hasfirst and second abutting end faces. The first tubular portion has atleast one internal projection extending inwardly from a side wall of thefirst tubular portion and which is positioned to contact the end face ofthe second tubular portion when the second tubular portion is insertedthrough the cap into the first tubular portion to prevent a leadingcorrugation of the at least one corrugated flexible section fromengaging any thread of the cap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a fluid container with a vented spout assemblyof the present exemplary embodiment attached thereto;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the vented spout assembly detached from thecontainer;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the vented spout assembly having a flexiblespout thereof folded at one end around 180° and inserted through a capof the spout assembly which is also folded around 180° but in anopposite direction to create a shipping or transport configuration;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side view from a direction perpendicular to thatshown in FIG. 3 showing preventing further insertion into a firsttubular portion of a second tubular portion at an end of the flexiblespout by respective internal projections formed as dimples on the firsttubular portion functioning as an insertion stop; and

FIG. 5 is an end view from a left of the cap of the vented spoutassembly shown in FIG. 2 and illustrating the internal projections onthe first tubular portion of the spout assembly and also showing a ventstructure of the spout assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of theinvention, reference will now be made to the preferred exemplaryembodiments/best mode illustrated in the drawings and specific languagewill be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understoodthat no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended,and such alterations and further modifications in the illustratedembodiments and such further applications of the principles of theinvention as illustrated as would normally occur to one skilled in theart to which the invention relates are included herein.

The vented spout assembly of one exemplary embodiment is shown in FIG. 1generally at 12 and which is threaded onto a threaded outlet 11A of afluid container 11. As fluid 6 is emptied from the container 11 throughthe spout assembly 12 air passing through a vent structure 14 forms airbubbles 15 in fluid 6 which travel to air pocket 7 above the fluid 6 andwhich prevent a vacuum from developing therein which would impede outflow of the fluid 6 through the spout assembly 12. Threaded outlet 11Aon the container 11 having threads 11 AA engage with threads 13A on cap13 of the spout assembly 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, the spout assembly 12 is formed of a flexible spout9 having a first tubular portion 17 connecting to cap 13 at end surface13C with a center line of the first tubular portion 17 being offsetrelative to a center of the cap 13. The first tubular portion 17 isfollowed by a first corrugated flexible section 20, an intermediatetubular portion 22, a second corrugated flexible section 21, and asecond tubular portion 23 having an end face 23A. The first corrugatedflexible section 20 is formed of a plurality of first corrugations 20Aand the second corrugated flexible section 21 has a plurality ofcorrugations 21A.

The first tubular portion 17 has first and second inward projections 19Aand 19B at opposite sides of the side wall of the first tubular portion17 and shaped as dimples. The first tubular portion also has inwardlyprojecting rectangular finger grips 18A. These finger grips decrease aninternal diameter where they are located of the first tubular portion17.

The cap 13 has at the end surface 13C a leading end 13B, and the threads13A. Adjacent the first tubular portion 17 the vent structure 14 isprovided in an aperture 13D in the end surface 13C in a pressed fitrelationship to receive the vent structure 14. The vent structure 14 isformed of a flexible rubber and has a flexible tube section 14Dterminating in a V-shaped termination end 14C. Significantly a slit 14Ais provided in the side wall of the flexible tube section 14D, the slitextending substantially from a region adjacent the leading end 13B ofthe cap and terminating at a beginning of the V-shaped termination end14C of the vent structure 14.

When fluid is being emptied from the container 11, abutting end faces atthe slit 14A separate, allowing air to pass through to form the bubbles15. When not emptying the container the slit end faces abut against eachother forming a substantial seal preventing liquid from entering thevent structure 14 and thus inhibiting leaking of the fluid 6 through thevent structure 14 when the container is not being emptied.

By providing the slit longitudinally along the tube section rather thanhorizontally at the end the length of the slit is substantiallyincreased so that liquid from the container can be dispensedsubstantially faster, and final remnants of the liquid in the containercan be dispensed more completely.

As shown in FIG. 3 the flexible spout 9 can be arranged in a storage orshipping mode such that the second tubular portion 23 with its end face23A is inserted through the cap 13 and into the first tubular portion17. The second tubular portion 23 has a narrower outer diameter than aninner diameter of the first tubular portion 17 to allow a cocking ortilting as shown in FIG. 3 such that a longitudinal center line ofsecond tubular portion 23 when inserted into the first tubular portion17 is cocked or tilted at an angle with respect to a longitudinal centerline of the first tubular portion 17, thus allowing a peripheral portion23AA of the end face 23A to be frictionally engaged with an innersidewall of the first tubular portion 17. Further it may be observed inFIG. 3 that the end face 23A butts up against at least one orpotentially both of the inwardly projecting dimples 19A and 19B (seealso FIG. 5).

By use of the dimple projections 19A and 19B, a further insertion of thesecond tubular portion 23 into the first tubular portion 17 isprevented, thus resulting in a gap 24 between a first leadingcorrugation 21AA and the leading end 13B of the cap 13. This preventsany engagement by the first leading corrugation 21 AA with the internalthreads 13A of the cap 13. This is significant since damage to one ormore of the threads by the corrugation or corrugations is prevented. Ifthe thread or threads are damaged such as by deformation leakages canresult when the cap is screwed on the container.

In addition to the peripheral portion 23AA portion having frictionalengagement because of the cocking of the second tubular portion 23 inthe first tubular portion 17, frictional engagement may also occurbetween an outer peripheral portion of a side wall of the second tubularportion 23 at location 23AB, which is at a corner between the endsurface 13C of the cap 13 where it merges with an end of the firsttubular portion 17. These frictional engagements at 23AA and 23ABcontribute to retaining the second tubular portion 23 within the firsttubular portion 17 during shipment and/or storage of the spout assembly.

Although preferred exemplary embodiments are shown and described indetail in the drawings and in the preceding specification, they shouldbe viewed as purely exemplary and not as limiting the invention. It isnoted that only preferred exemplary embodiments are shown and described,and all variations and modifications that presently or in the future liewithin the protective scope of the invention should be protected.

I claim as my invention:
 1. A vented spout assembly for threadedengagement with a threaded outlet of a fluid container, comprising: aflexible spout comprising a first tubular portion with a connected caphaving threads, at least one corrugated flexible section with aplurality of corrugations, and a second tubular portion with an endface, the at least one corrugated flexible section being located betweenthe first tubular portion and said second tubular portion; said caphaving at an end surface thereof a vent structure having a flexible tubesection and a slit in a side wall of the tube section and extendinglongitudinally along said flexible tube section, said slit having firstand second abutting end faces formed of said side wall; and said firsttubular portion having at least one internal projection extendinginwardly from a side wall of said first tubular portion and which ispositioned to contact said end face of said second tubular portion whensaid second tubular portion is inserted through said cap into said firsttubular portion to prevent a leading corrugation of said plurality ofcorrugations of the at least one corrugated flexible section fromengaging any of said threads of said cap.
 2. The assembly of claim 1wherein another corrugated flexible section is provided and with anintermediate tubular portion between said at least one corrugatedflexible section and said another flexible corrugated section.
 3. Theassembly of claim 1 wherein a plurality of finger grips extend inwardlyfrom said side wall of said first tubular portion.
 4. The assembly ofclaim 1 wherein another internal projection is provided extendinginwardly from said side wall of the first tubular portion at an oppositeside and directly across from said at least one internal projection foralso contacting said end face of said second tubular portion when it isinserted into the first tubular portion.
 5. The assembly of claim 4wherein said internal projections are shaped as dimples and terminatingwith respect to each other at a distance across from each other which isless than an outer diameter of said second tubular portion at said endface.
 6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein a spacing gap is providedbetween said leading corrugation and a leading end of said cap.
 7. Theassembly of 1 claim wherein an outer diameter of said second tubularportion is less than an inner diameter of said first tubular portionsuch that when said second tubular portion is inserted in said firsttubular portion a longitudinal center line of said second tubularportion is cocked and angled with respect to a longitudinal center lineof said first tubular portion such that a peripheral portion of said endface of said second tubular portion frictionally engages with an innerside wall of the first tubular portion.
 8. The assembly of claim 7wherein an outer peripheral portion of said second tubular portionfrictionally engages at a corner located where said end surface of thecap merges with an end of the first tubular portion.
 9. The assembly ofclaim 1 wherein said vent structure has at a leading end a V-shapedtermination and with said slit terminating substantially at a locationwhere said V-shaped termination end begins.
 10. A spout assembly forthreaded engagement with a threaded outlet of a fluid container,comprising: a flexible spout comprising a first tubular portion with aconnecting cap having threads, at least one corrugated flexible sectionwith a plurality of corrugations, and a second tubular portion with anend face, the at least one corrugated flexible section being locatedbetween the first tubular portion and said second tubular portion; andsaid first tubular portion having at least one internal projectionextending inwardly from a side wall of said first tubular portion andwhich is positioned to contact said end face of said second tubularportion when said second tubular portion is inserted through said capinto said first tubular portion to prevent a leading corrugation of saidplurality of corrugations of the at least one corrugated flexiblesection from engaging any of said threads of said cap.
 11. The assemblyof claim 10 wherein another internal projection is provided extendinginwardly from said side wall of the first tubular portion at an oppositeside and directly across from said at least one internal projection foralso contacting said end face of said second tubular portion when it isinserted into the first tubular portion.
 12. The assembly of claim 11wherein said internal projections are shaped as dimples and terminatingwith respect to each other at a distance across from each other which isless than an outer diameter of said second tubular portion at said endface.
 13. The assembly of claim 10 wherein a spacing gap is providedbetween said leading corrugation and a leading end of said cap.
 14. Theassembly of 10 claim wherein an outer diameter of said second tubularportion is less than an inner diameter of said first tubular portionsuch that when said second tubular portion is inserted in said firsttubular portion a longitudinal center line of said second tubularportion is cocked and angled with respect to a longitudinal center lineof said first tubular portion such that a peripheral portion of said endface of said second tubular portion frictionally engages with an innerside wall of the first tubular portion.
 15. The assembly of claim 14wherein an outer peripheral portion of said second tubular portionfrictionally engages at a corner located where said end surface of thecap merges with an end of the first tubular portion.
 16. A vented spoutassembly for threaded engagement with a threaded outlet of a fluidcontainer, comprising: a flexible spout comprising a first tubularportion with a connected cap having threads, at least one corrugatedflexible section with a plurality of corrugations, and a second tubularportion with an end face, the at least one corrugated flexible sectionbeing located between the first tubular portion and said second tubularportion; and said cap having at an end surface thereof a vent structurehaving a flexible tube section and a slit in a side wall of the tubesection and extending longitudinally along said flexible tube section,said slit having first and second abutting end faces formed of said sidewall.
 17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein said vent structure has at aleading end a V-shaped termination and with said slit terminatingsubstantially at a location where said V-shaped termination end begins.